DKFTI 18

Sibel actually thought that for heroes and humans alike, coming in and out of his Demon King’s castle didn’t seem particularly difficult, but he read the mood and kept his mouth shut, nodding.

“Ah, you don’t look wet anywhere…!”

Seeing Lilianthes’s hair fluttering smoothly, each strand dry and soft, Sibel smiled. Lilianthes chuckled and continued.

“Rain and lightning are nothing compared to the foul presence that made even them keep their distance. Hoho.”

“Eh?”

“Such things exist.”

Lilianthes opened the box. A small vial lay inside on a soft cushion.

“What is that?”

Sibel craned his neck, inspecting the potion closely.

“Do you drink it?”

His habit of trying to put everything in his mouth surfaced. When Sibel reached to grab the potion, Lilianthes pressed the back of his hand with her fan.

“Uh-uh, don’t drink it carelessly. If you take this, you’ll lose a day of memories and sleep for several days.”

“Eh?”

Why give something like that? Why erase memories!

Sibel grew curious about Lilianthes’s intention in handing him such a strangely purposed drug.

“When the rainy season begins, demons relapse with chronic conditions. Their mana runs unstable and wild. For Demon Kings, it’s even worse. Usually they grow depressed or violent, and sometimes even their bodies are damaged.”

“R-really?”

“Of course. That’s why during the rainy season in the demon realm, attacks on humans become more frequent.”

“…I see.”

By nature demons were aggressive, but without reason, acting like madmen with loosened restraints mostly happened during the rainy season. It was when the force that stirred demonic instincts manifested.

“So if you feel your mind going strange, you have to take this.”

Lilianthes tapped the vial and smiled.

What kind of beings were demons, born with a mental illness?

“But why erase the memories?”

“It’s a side effect, but since most commit things they don’t want to remember while rampaging, you could say it’s killing two birds with one stone.”

So in the end, it was a benefit.

“I do want to stay here, to see what type our cutie will be during the rainy season…”

At her words, Sibel pricked his ears and answered.

“You can stay!”

There were plenty of rooms, so he welcomed her without hesitation. But Lilianthes furrowed her brows with a troubled look.

“During the rainy season, I tend to suck up the essence of handsome men left and right.”

“Eek.”

That’s right. Sibel was not the only Demon King here.

Sibel laughed awkwardly, while Lilianthes fluttered her fan and giggled.

“If I stay here during the rainy season, it looks like a lot of people won’t like it.”

Her gaze brushed over Aizen. Sibel didn’t understand her words. After all, both Shanti and Ruru had welcomed Lilianthes warmly.

Lilianthes traced Sibel’s cheek with her finger and spoke again.

“Don’t forget my words. If you notice strange symptoms, take it right away. Our little one.”

“Ah, y-yes ma’am!”

Sibel shook his head up and down violently. If strange symptoms showed, take it immediately!

“You’d better give your subordinates a heads-up in advance.”

“Yes!”

“You’re obedient.”

Lilianthes let out a bright laugh. Her black hair swayed pleasantly.

“Well then, I’ve said what I came for, so I’ll be going now.”

As Lilianthes rose from the table, Sibel also jumped up from his chair.

“Already?”

His voice was full of disappointment.

“As I said, nothing good will come from me staying here too long.”

“Uh…”

For some reason, Lilianthes avoided staying long in the castle. Sibel recalled how Ruru had recently called it “shabby.”

“But I’ll come play again once the rainy season passes. Cutie.”

Sibel obediently nodded at her words.

Quick as always, Lilianthes turned and was about to leave the room.

“Oh right.”

She suddenly stopped and looked back at Sibel.

“Our Demon King, don’t trust everything that comes to you here. You’re being far too naive.”

“Yes?”

“There are many sly things in the Demon Realm.”

Sibel blinked. He didn’t know how to respond.

If you hand me a nameless potion and then say don’t trust what comes my way, isn’t that terribly confusing?

“Well, what you really need to worry about is far worse than those.”

She looked at him pitifully.

Sibel thought to himself, Senior must like playing twenty questions.

Lilianthes turned to the door, where she came face-to-face with Aizen standing guard. She did not simply leave.

Her fan touched against Aizen’s collar. With eyes full of mischief, she spoke.

“Our little pup is even cuter the more I see him. How about switching castles?”

There was a sultry note mixed in her voice. It felt like her scent grew heavier.

Most humans would have kneeled and kissed her feet under such an aroma, but Aizen slapped her fan away from his neck.

“What are you talking about?”

His face was full of irritation, as if it wasn’t even worth considering. Lilianthes cackled and pushed the door open.

“Well then, see you next time. Cuties.”

Cutie had now evolved into cuties. From the look on his face, Aizen didn’t seem pleased to hear it.

But Sibel answered energetically.

“Yes!”

As always, he bowed ninety degrees, full of respect for his senior Demon King. Even after Lilianthes disappeared, the heavy rose scent lingered.

“Ha.”

Another successful day, loved by his seniors!

***

The day after Lilianthes left, it stopped raining for a short while. Sibel didn’t waste the chance and moved quickly.

There was something he had to rush to finish before the full rainy season began. That was repairing the damaged labyrinth.

Thud, thud, thud.

“Damn, why did those mages wreck this place so badly!”

Ruru grumbled as he shoveled around the broken wall.

“If the heavy rain comes, it’ll collapse. We have to fix it before then.”

Sibel had grown deeply attached to his castle. Naturally so. He had always liked decorating things in a detailed and pretty way, so he had no intention of neglecting its upkeep.

The broken walls and the ground that had been gouged out would surely collapse into a mess once the rain poured down.

“Demon King, shouldn’t we call in professionals for this kind of thing?”

“Professionals?”

“I’ll go kidnap some humans who are good at construction!”

At that moment, Shanti, who had come with snacks, raised his hand and answered instead.

“That’s a crime.”

“A site ruined by crime should be fixed by crime.”

“……?”

What? That was nonsense, yet somehow it sounded logical?

Sibel wondered if his brain was starting to get assimilated by demons.

“Hey, I’ll eat later. Why are you… hey! Hey! Raccoon!”

Raccoon, who had sidled right up to Shanti’s side, snatched the snack bundle he was carrying. Sibel was impressed by Raccoon’s quick hands. He’s pretty skilled.

“Shall we take a break? If we just clear out this bush, it’ll look more or less tidy.”

Ruru wiped the sweat from his forehead and said. Sibel, who had been pulling out ruined flowers from a flowerbed, nodded.

“Let’s finish this much and then rest.”

“Ugh, Ruru can’t do any more. My delicate arms will be ruined!”

Ruru flopped onto the damp ground and began to protest.

“I’ll finish up. You rest.”

Sibel was walking over to pick up the shovel Ruru had thrown aside.

“Puu! Pupuu!”

He turned his head at the familiar voice. He saw Aizen and Pudding walking towards them.

When Aizen got close enough, Sibel asked,

“How do you always know exactly where I am, like a ghost?”

Aizen jerked his chin toward Pudding in reply.

So he was using Pudding as a GPS? He was apparently quite good at spotting talent.

“What are you doing?”

Aizen always seemed interested in the affairs of the castle. The first thing out of his mouth was always, What are you doing?

Sibel pointed at the collapsed ruins and answered,

“Digging the ground. As you know, it was wrecked not long ago.”

In truth, Aizen himself had played a large part in leaving it this messed up.

“Ah.”

Ah? Aah? Aaah? That was it? So he had no conscience.

At that moment, Raccoon appeared with his mouth stuffed full of meat and kicked Aizen in the shin.

“Human kick!”

“Argh!”

Aizen, who was suddenly assaulted, grabbed Raccoon with an annoyed face.

“Is this a Demon King’s castle or a zoo!”